Grandiflora rose plant named &#39;Radnectar&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Grandiflora rose plant is provided that abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive single cup-shaped bright orange to apricot blossoms. The plant exhibits vigorous vegetation and an upright and bushy growth habit. The foliage is ornamental dark green with a glossy finish on the upper surface. The light blossom coloration contrasts nicely with the dark green foliage. The disease resistance is excellent, particularly with respect to black spot, rust and mildews. The plant is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in in the landscape.

Botanical/commercial classification: Rosa hybrida/Grandiflora Rose Plant.

Varietal denomination: cv. Radnectar.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida Grandiflora rose plant of the present invention was created in June 2001 at Greenfield, Wis., U.S.A., by artificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., seed parent) was the ‘Harwelcome’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,161), and the male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was the unreleased ‘Radorg’ variety (non-patented in the United States). The parentage can be summarized as follows:

‘Harwelcome’×‘Radorg’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and small plants were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new Grandiflora rose plant of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive         single cup-shaped bright orange to apricot blossoms,     -   (b) exhibits an upright and bushy growth habit,     -   (c) forms vigorous vegetation,     -   (d) forms attractive ornamental dark green foliage with a glossy         finish on the upper surface that contrasts well with the blossom         coloration,     -   (e) exhibits excellent disease resistance particularly with         respect to black spot, rust and mildews, and     -   (f) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in the         landscape.

A new rose variety is provided that displays attractive bright orange to apricot colored blossoms, a dense upright and bushy growth habit, and excellent disease resistance. The foliage has been observed to remain exceptionally clean even under tough, hot and humid growing conditions

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. It can be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, public areas, and in residential settings. Accordingly, the plant is particularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors upon an inspection of the blossoms. More specifically, the ‘Radwelcome’ variety forms dissimilar double blossoms having approximately 25 to 30 petals, and the ‘Radorg’ variety displays a dissimilar climbing growth habit.

The new variety also can be readily distinguished from the ‘Meiludere’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,707) which exhibits dissimilar pink blossoms with some light salmon coloration.

The characteristics of the new variety have been found at Wasco, Calif., U.S.A., to be homogeneous and stable and to be strictly transmissible by asexual propagation, such as budding, grafting, and the rooting of cuttings from one generation to another. The new variety reproduces in a true-to-type manner by such asexual propagation.

The new variety has been named ‘Radnectar’, and will be marketed under the HONEY NECTAR trademark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this character, typical specimens of the new variety. The illustrated rose plants of the new variety were approximately three years of age and were observed during May 2011 while growing outdoors on its own roots at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A.

FIG. 1 shows a close enlarged view of a typical attractive open blossom of the new variety.

FIG. 2 shows a row of flowering plants of the new variety while growing in full sun. The upright and bushy growth habit is depicted.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart—1995 Edition), London, England. The description is based on the observation of two-year-old specimens of the new variety during August while growing in containers on their own roots at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A.

-   Class: Grandiflora Rose Variety ‘Radnectar’. -   Plant:     -   -   Height.—commonly approach approximately 1.5 m on average at             maturity.         -   Width.—commonly approach approximately 90 cm on average at             maturity.         -   Habit.—upright and bushy. -   Branches:     -   -   Length.—main stems commonly approximately 8 cm on average,             and secondary stems commonly approximately 27 cm on average.         -   Color.—near Yellow-Green Group 144A on young stems, and             commonly near Yellow-Green Group 146A mixed with some             Greyed-Brown Group 199A for old wood.         -   Thorns.—size: commonly approximately 1.1 cm in length on             average and approximately 7 mm in width on average at the             point of attachment when young, and approximately 9 mm in             length on average and approximately 5 mm in width on average             at the point of attachment when mature. — color: commonly             near Yellow-Green Group 152D on young stems, and near             Greyed-Orange Group 177B when mature. -   Leaves::     -   -   Size.—commonly approximately 12 cm in length on average, and             approximately 8 cm in width on average for a five-leaflet             leaf.         -   Leaflets.—number 3, 5, and 7. — length: approximately 5.5 cm             on average for a terminal leaflet, and approximately 4 cm on             average for a lower leaflet. — width: approximately 3.5 cm             on average for a terminal leaflet, and approximately 2.5 cm             on average for a lower leaflet. — shape: ovate. — margins:             serrate. — texture: generally smooth on the upper and under             surfaces. — overall appearance: attractive dark green leaves             with a glossy upper surface. — color: (when young): upper             surface: near Green Group 137A. under surface: near Green             Group 137C. —color (when fully mature): upper surface: near             Green Group 139A. under surface: near Green Group 139C. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Number of flowers.—commonly singly or in a cluster of             approximately 2 to 4 blossoms per stem on average.         -   Peduncle.—near Yellow-Green Group 144A in coloration,             commonly approximately 3.5 cm in length on average,             approximately 2.5 mm in diameter on average, and commonly             sparsely covered with small flexible thorns less than 2 mm             in length.         -   Sepals.—upper surface: covered with short pubescence, and             commonly near Green Group 143C in coloration. under surface:             commonly puberulent, and commonly near Green Group 143A in             coloration. — size: commonly approximately 2.4 cm in length             on average, and approximately 7 mm in width at the base. —             margin: entire, and commonly with an extension on two or             three of the sepals measuring approximately 6 mm in length             on average and approximately 1 mm in width on average. —             number: five.         -   Buds.—shape: generally ovoid. — length: approximately 2 cm             on average as the calyx breaks. diameter: approximately 1.2             cm on average as the calyx breaks. — color: near Red Group             37A towards the apex.         -   Flower.—form: single, cuplike. — diameter: commonly             approximately 6 cm on average when fully open. — color (when             opening begins): upper surface: near Yellow-Orange Group 17A             at the point of attachment, transitioning to near Orange             Group 29B at the apex. under surface: near Yellow-Orange             Group 21B at the point of attachment blending to Red Group             37A at the apex. — color (at end of blooming): upper             surface: near Yellow Group 5A at the point of attachment,             transitioning to Red Group 36A at the apex. under surface:             near Yellow-Orange Group 18A at the point of attachment             blending to near Red Group 38C at the apex. — fragrance:             slightly sweet. — petal number: commonly approximately 8 to             10 on average under normal growing conditions. — petal             length: commonly approximately 3 cm on average. — petal             width: commonly approximately 3.5 cm on average. — petal             shape: broadly obovate. — petal margin: entire. — petal             apex: slightly cuspidate. — petal base: cuneate. — petal             drop: good, the petals commonly detach cleanly and freely             drop upon full maturity. — stamen number: approximately 80             on average. — anthers: commonly near Yellow Group 13A in             coloration. — filaments: approximately 7 mm in length, and             the coloration is near Yellow Group 13C. — pollen: commonly             present in a moderate quantity, and near Yellow-Orange Group             20A in coloration. — pistils: separate and free, and             commonly number approximately 35 on average. — styles:             commonly approximately 1 cm in length and near Red-Purple             Group 60A at the tip and near Yellow-Green Group 145C at the             base. — stigma: commonly less than 1 mm in diameter, and             near Greyed-Yellow Group 162B in coloration. — receptacle:             commonly substantially round in shape, approximately 8 mm in             diameter, smooth in texture, near Yellow-Green Group 144A in             coloration, and with achenes commonly being present on the             bottom and wall. — hips/seeds: commonly present in moderate             quantity. -   Development:     -   -   Vegetation.—dark green vigorous, and strong.         -   Blossoming.—abundant and substantially continuous from             spring to frost.         -   Resistance to diseases.—excellent, particularly with respect             to black spot, rust, and mildews. Plants of the ‘Radnectar’             variety have not been observed under all possible             environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is             possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat             with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural             practices, and other environmental conditions. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Grandiflora rose plant characterized by the following combination of characteristics: (a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive single cup-shaped bright orange to apricot blossoms, (b) exhibits an upright and bushy growth habit, (c) forms vigorous vegetation, (d) forms attractive ornamental dark green foliage with a glossy finish on the upper surface that contrasts well with the blossom coloration, (e) exhibits excellent disease resistance particularly with respect to black spot, rust and mildews, and (f) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in the landscape; substantially as herein shown and described. 